Category Archives: Cats

Do your pets try to tell you things? Most seem to. Much of their communication is pretty clear, especially when you have known your pet for many years. I’m hungry, I need to pee, let’s play. But sometimes what needs to be communicated is more complicated.My dog, Gator, has developed many ways to tell me what he desires. For instance, we have wind chimes on the back door for the dogs to ring to let us know they want to go outside. Gator has extended the use of the wind chimes to indicate to me that he needs my assistance. He will ring the bells to get my attention, then run to the sofa and stare at it. I have learned that he is telling me that his tennis ball is stuck under the sofa and he needs me to rescue it for him. Or if I am upstairs too long (where my dogs are not allowed so that my cats can have a safe haven), Gator will ring the bell and wait by the stairs. “Mom, I miss you. Please come back.” I am always happy to help him out.

But there came a time when I could not figure out what my dog was trying to tell me. Here is the scene. It was dinner time (for humans). During dinner, Gator stays in his bed in the corner of the eating area of the kitchen. Hattie, my other dog, stays in her unlocked crate at the end of the peninsula separating the eating area from the rest of the house. The mud room, with the door to the backyard, is around the corner from Gator’s bed. My husband and I had just finished eating dinner in the kitchen. As I was clearing the table, Gator went into the mud room to ring the bell. But he immediately left door, meaning he did not want to go out. So what did he want? I had no idea. He just stood there and looked at me expectantly.Gator did this repeatedly for about a month; not every night, but most of them. We thought, “Maybe it makes him happy to ring the bell, because Mom is going to pay attention to him.” We even started singing, “ If you’re happy and you know it, ring the bell …” We were flummoxed.

But eventually this behavior became annoying. So one night after Gator rang the bell and came back into the kitchen, I got angry. I told him, “If you don’t want to go out, you need to stop ringing.” I grabbed his collar and proceeded to drag him out of the kitchen. But when we got next to Hattie’s crate, Hattie jumped up and started barking aggressively at Gator. That’s when the lightbulb went on.

Gator had been trying to tell me, “Mom, I am trapped in the kitchen. I can’t walk past Hattie’s crate to leave. She will attack me. I am ringing the bell because I need help. Please help me.” But Mom was very slow in figuring this out. Smart dog, stupid human.

Hattie is a dog who will guard her food, toys, and, as we had just figured out, her personal space. Her body language did not seem threatening to us humans, but Gator obviously knew she was guarding the passageway out of the kitchen.

Since then, we make Hattie leave her crate right after dinner, and Gator happily trots out of the kitchen. If we forget to get Hattie out of the way, Gator will ring the bell to remind us. I still feel badly that I could not figure out what my boy wanted for such a long time.

So if your dog or cat is interacting with you in an unusual way, put on your thinking cap, and try to figure out what he is trying to say. You might have a lightbulb moment of your own.

What would you do if…your dog ate the bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips that was left out on the table?…your cat had a seizure right in front of you?…your dog fell down the stairs and started limping?…your cat got into a fight and was bleeding?I know from personal experience that cats and dogs (and other pets, too) can get into trouble at the drop of a hat and it can be really scary to see them in distress! So, what can you do to help your pet immediately while getting them ready to go to the veterinarian or emergency hospital? Just like with humans, there are a couple of steps to take.

1 – Assess the situation. What has happened to your pet? Are they bleeding, limping, falling over, vomiting, having trouble breathing, crying? Once you know the symptoms, you can look to the next step.2 – Determine what you can do for your pet. Is there a towel nearby or a first aid kit? Is there someone else in the house who can help you or can you lift your dog by yourself? Will your pet be able to walk on its own to the car? Determine what you can do immediately to give your pet the best chance of making it safely to the veterinarian’s office or emergency facility.3 – Apply first aid if necessary. This can be the scary part. We here at the animal hospital know that when your pet is hurt, they are also scared and may not react well to being restrained or cared for. Animals may bite, thrash around, run, cry, scratch, or refuse to be touched. Your pet can also pick up on your fear and anxiety, which may make the situation worse. Calmly and gently, get a hold of your pet and apply first aid, preferably with the help of another person. Remember to keep away from the pet’s mouth and face, and keep your motions slow and calm to prevent alarm.– IF YOUR PET IS BLEEDING: Apply a towel or bandage to the site and apply direct pressure for at least 3 minutes to stop the bleeding. Add towels on top of previous layers if they are soaking through, but do not remove them as it may disturb any clot formation. For heavy bleeding or severe injuries, get your animal to a veterinarian immediately. – IF YOUR PET IS INJURED: If possible and safe, try to stabilize injuries before moving an injured animal by splinting or bandaging them. *Keep in mind, however, that a poorly applied bandage or splint can do more harm than good; if in doubt, leave the bandaging/splinting to professionals. If there is a foreign body in the wound, do not remove it. If necessary, carefully cut it short without moving it to leave 3-6 inches sticking out before transporting your pet to the veterinarian. While transporting your injured pet, keep him/her confined to prevent further injury.– IF YOUR PET IS BURNED: Apply a muzzle to your pet’s snout/face and flush the burn with cool (not cold) water. Do NOT apply ointments or medications to the burn, as these may agitate the burn further. Seek immediate veterinary care. – IF YOUR PET HAS HEATSTROKE: If you cannot immediately get your pet to a veterinarian, move him/her to a shaded area and out of direct sunlight. Get a rectal temperature with a non-mercury thermometer if possible to determine your pet’s temperature (if it’s over 108, seek emergency care immediately). Place a cool, wet towel around your pet’s neck and head (do not cover your pet’s eyes, nose or mouth). Remove the towel, wring it out, then re-wet and rewrap it every few minutes. Use a hose or faucet or bucket to keep cool water running over the animal’s body (especially the abdomen and between the hind legs). Then, use your hands to sweep the water away as it absorbs the body heat. Transport the pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible. – IF YOUR PET IS BITTEN BY A SNAKE: Assume the snake is poisonous and seek veterinary attention immediately. Try to identify the snake if it can be done without risk; do not attempt to capture or kill the snake. Do not bring the snake into the veterinarian’s office – a photograph will do.– IF YOUR PET IS POISONED/INGESTED A TOXIC SUBSTANCE: If you know or suspect your pet has consumed something that may be harmful, call your veterinarian, emergency veterinary clinic or the Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435 – available 365 days/year, 24 hours/day; a consultation fee applies) immediately. If possible, have the following information available: Species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved; Symptoms, Name/description of the substance that is in question, the amount the animal was exposed to, and how long it’s been since your pet ate it or was exposed to it. Also have the product container/packaging available for reference. Collect any material your pet may have vomited or chewed, and place it in a plastic sealable bag to take with you when you bring your animal in for veterinary treatment. **Do not try to induce vomiting or give any medication to your pet unless directed to do so by Poison Control or your veterinarian.**– IF YOUR PET IS HAVING SEIZURES: Clear the area of other pets, furniture, and any other objects that may cause injury. Do not try to restrain your pet or startle him/her out of the seizure. Time the seizure (they usually last 2-3 minutes, but can be as short as 30 seconds). After the seizure has stopped, keep your pet warm and quiet and contact your veterinarian.

And there are a few more that are a bit more scary than

the previous emergency situations. These require taking quick action

and remaining calm. If you do not feel you can apply first aid, go to

your veterinarian or the emergency center immediately.

– IF YOUR PET IS CHOKING: Choking pets have difficulty breathing, paw excessively at their mouths, make choking sounds when breathing or coughing, and may have blue-tinged lips or tongue. If your pet can still breathe, keep him/her calm and seek immediate veterinary care. Look into your pet’s mouth to see if a foreign object is visible. If you see an object, gently try to remove it with pliers or tweezers, but be careful not to push the object further down the throat. If it’s not easy to reach, do not try to remove it – get your pet to a veterinarian immediately. If your pet collapses, place both hands on the side of your pet’s rib cage and apply firm quick pressure, or lay your pet on his/her side and strike the rib cage firmly with the palm of your hand 3-4 times to sharply push air out of their lungs and push the object out from behind. Repeat this until the object is dislodged or until you arrive at the veterinarian’s office. **However, we highly recommend letting a veterinary professional take this course of action.**– IF YOUR PET IS NOT BREATHING: Open your pet’s airway by gently grasping its tongue and pulling it forward (out of the mouth) until it is flat. Check the throat to see if there are any foreign objects blocking the airway. Perform rescue breathing by holding your pet’s mouth closed with your hands and breathing directly into its nose until you see the chest expand. Once the chest expands, continue administering one rescue breath every 4-5 seconds. – IF YOUR PET HAS NO HEARTBEAT: **Do not begin chest compressions until you’ve secured an airway and started rescue breathing.** Gently lay your pet on its right side on a firm surface. The heart is located on the left side in the lower half of the chest, just behind the elbow of the front left leg. Place one hand underneath the pet’s chest for support and the other hand over the heart. • For dogs, press down with quick, firm pressure to depress the chest one inch for medium-sized dogs. Use more force for larger animals and less force for smaller animals. For cats and other small pets, cradle your hand around the animal’s chest so your thumb is on the left side of the chest and your fingers are on the right side of the chest, and compress the chest by squeezing it between your thumb and fingers. • Press down 80-120 times per minute for larger animals and 100-150 times per minute for smaller ones (less than 25 lbs). Alternate the chest compressions with the rescue breaths: perform chest compressions for 4-5 seconds and stop long enough to give one rescue breath. • Continue until you can hear a heartbeat and your pet is breathing regularly, or you have arrived at the veterinary clinic and they can take over the resuscitation attempts.• Please refer to this infographic of pet CPR for visual reference if it’s easier for you – Saving Your Pet with CPR

Always remember that any first aid administered to your pet should be followed by immediate veterinary care. First aid care is not a substitute for veterinary care, but it may save your pet’s life until it receives veterinary treatment.

I hope you don’t have to use these first aid methods any time soon, but it is very good information to know! As the Boyscouts say, “Be Prepared!” I know that I am much better off living at the hospital because all my minions know exactly what to do in case of an emergency situation! I hope that this information will help you be better prepared for applying first aid to your pets in case of an emergency, too. Til next meow,

Good day, humans! With Fall blustering in and temperatures dropping, you might think it’s ok to stop giving your cats and dogs their Flea & Tick and Heartworm medications. But it’s not! If anything, Fall is one of the worst times for fleas and ticks as cooler weather doesn’t kill fleas and ticks! For example, the cat flea – the most common flea of dogs and cats – hits peak infestation in late summer and fall. And deer ticks are at their peak during the fall and spring. Fleas can carry tapeworms and other disease-causing organisms, and ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis! Mosquitoes, of course, are carriers of the heartworm parasite, a life threatening nematode that can cause severe disease and even death. Even in areas where residents do not have to worry about mosquitoes during the winter, their return in the spring and summer months can catch you off guard. It is best to be pre-prepared.

Here are a few facts that are worth remembering:

Fleas can live outdoors in temperatures as low as 33 degrees for up to five days (long enough to latch onto your dog, come into your home, and relish in the warmth of your living room).

Flea eggs can live year round in protected areas such as crawl spaces or porches.

Ticks are certainly more active in the late summer and early fall. However, even in the winter, if the temperature exceeds 32-40 degrees ticks will become active again.

So, how do you make sure your pet is protected against fleas/ticks and mosquitoes during the colder months? The same as with the warmer months: apply Flea & Tick medication to your pet! There are several brands out there that we recommend and offer at our hospital: Frontline Tritak, Vectra, Bravecto, Revolution, Heartgard, Interceptor, Seresto collars, and Certifect. Another great product to use is Advantix. We have had great success with these products and use them on our own pets (including myself!) (You can see a product comparison chart here and here.)

Now, we know what you might be thinking – “I don’t want to put chemicals on my pet!” That’s fine! Bravecto is a wonderful product that is a chewable tablet and prevents fleas/ticks for 3 months per pill. Our own veterinarians use it on their pets and it works very well! You may also be thinking, “I want to try a natural approach/product to flea and tick control.” Sadly, there really aren’t any. Over the years, we’ve spent some time looking into the more natural or holistic approaches and as yet there are none that are actually effective. You can try tea tree oils, peppermint, lavender, garlic, citronella, etc, but they just will not prevent fleas and ticks from attaching and feeding off your pet. The brewer’s yeast? All the research shows none of that works. The ultrasonic devices? The data shows they don’t work. Also, just because something is “natural” or “organic” that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Some of the citric extracts used in these “natural” products can be fairly toxic to cats.There are also ways to protect your home from becoming a hangout for these parasites. To eliminate fleas and their nesting places outdoors, keep the area surrounding your home clear of debris. Remove leaf or mulch piles, tall grasses, and brush around the home and at lawn edges. Separate lawn from surrounding wooded areas with a band of gravel or wood chips to limit tick migration. Keep the lawn mowed. Apply pesticides around bushes and shaded areas, as well as near doors and windows. Keep the areas outside your home dry and free of standing water, which can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.Remember that while fleas, ticks and mosquitoes may seem to be merely nuisance pests, they are actually capable of causing severe health problems, from the above mentioned heartworm infection, to skin disorders and infections, to anemia and life-threatening diseases. These diseases are definitely better off being stopped before they start with a little bit of diligence and preventive products. Remember to use these medications once every month, year round (unless otherwise specified by your veterinarian)! As the old saying goes: It is better to be safe than sorry.

Good morning, humans! (Well, it’s morning for me, as I just woke us from my mid-morning feeding nap) Today we are going to talk about something that’s been affecting me lately, and lots of other dogs and cats I see at our hospital: Joint Disease.

As our pets grow older, it becomes more probable for them to develop some form of joint disease. It can be mild, even unnoticeable to the pet owner, or it can be debilitating, severely affecting the pet’s quality of life; joint pain may even cause partial or complete lameness. While some pets may develop joint disease in their younger years due to injury or over-exertion, signs of joint pain usually do not appear until the later half of life, depending on your pet’s breed. Dogs are more susceptible to arthritis than cats, and the larger dog breeds are more vulnerable than smaller breeds. So, what should you be looking for? The most common signs of joint disease include stiffness, limping, or favoring a limb (especially after sleeping or resting), inability or trouble getting up, reluctance to jump or climb stairs, and noticeable pain.

There are many diseases and problems that affect the joints of pets, such as:

There are far more causes of joint disease in pets than are listed here, but fortunately there are just as many methods of managing and treating joint pain.

Weight management is one of the first things we look at. All surgical and medical procedures will be more beneficial if the animal is not overweight. Considering that up to half of the pets in the U.S. are overweight, there is a fair chance that many of the dogs and cats with hip dysplasia/osteoarthritis are also overweight. Helping a pet lose weight until they reach the recommended weight and maintaining that weight may be the most important thing an owner can do for a pet. This may be the hardest part of the treatment, but it is worth it. You, as the owner, have control over what your dog eats. This method also goes hand-in-hand with exercise. Activities that provide a good range of motion and muscle building and limits exertion on the joints is the best. Leash walking, swimming, walking on treadmills, and trotting are excellent low-impact exercises. In general, too little exercise can be more detrimental than too much, however the wrong type of exercise can cause further damage. While watching a dog play Frisbee or catch is very enjoyable and fun for the dog, it is very hard on a dog’s joints. Remember, it is important to exercise daily; only exercising on weekends or just occasionally may cause more harm than good if the animal is sore and reluctant to move at all. Beyond losing weight and exercise, sometimes a little physical therapy is in order. Our veterinary staff can show you how to perform simple physical therapy and massage on your pet to help relax stiff muscles and promote a good range of motion in the joints. Remember, your furry friend is in pain, so start slowly and build trust. If therapy isn’t an option for you to perform on your own, we have a few wonderful Pet Therapy Specialists in the area who would be happy to help rehabilitate your companion animal!

Most of us humans who have arthritis find that the pain and other symptoms are worse in cold, damp weather. The same is true for pets! Keeping your pet warm and insulated will be much more comfortable. You may want to consider keeping the temperature in your home a little warmer, or provide your pet with a warming pad or cushy orthopedic foam bed. Orthopedic or dense foam beds distribute weight evenly and reduce pressure on joints. Another option for pain management is medication. Medical management is appropriate for both young pets with clinical signs (mostly dogs in this case) and for older animals with chronic osteoarthritis. Because of the high cost involved with many surgeries to correct ligament injuries or joint fractures, medication is most times the only affordable option for many pet owners. Anti-inflammatories and joint supplements may be used in tandem to help treat joint paint, and you may even need to use pain control medications and analgesics. Glucosamine and chondroitin found in joint supplements give the cartilage-forming cells in the body what they need to synthesize new cartilage and to repair the existing damaged cartilage. These products are not painkillers; they work by actually healing the damage that has been done. They generally take at least six weeks to begin to heal the cartilage and most animals need to be maintained on these products the rest of their lives to prevent further cartilage breakdown. These products are very safe and show very few side effects. Anti-inflammatory medications (known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs) are strong and effective painkillers and anti-inflammatory agents. They are prescription products and, because of potential side effects, careful adherence to dosing quantity and frequency must be followed. The manufacturers and veterinarians recommend periodic bloodwork to be done on pets that use these medicines to monitor any developing liver problems resulting from their use. And, of course, pain control medications are used often in pets with joint pain to do just that – control the pain. It may seem as though your pet is getting a lot of medication and pet owners may be resistant to giving medications to their pets, but it really does wonders to help pets with joint pain and arthritis feel so much better! We have seen significant improvement in painful pets with prescribed pain control medications – they are happier, move more easily, and seem like their young selves again.

**It is very important while speaking of medical pain management to mention that you may never give human medications such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol to a pet! These are toxic and fatal to your pet! Please ask a veterinarian for a safe, pet-approved medication to help treat joint disease pain before consulting Dr. Google.**

In the event that the above options do not work, or that your pet has a congential issue or ligament/muscle/bone injury, surgery may be the best option to correct and treat the problem. We work with several surgical experts who can have your pet up and running via surgical procedures to correct cruciate and ligament tears, bone problems, hip dysplasia, and more. For pets who do not need surgical repair and only display more soft tissue or muscle related joint disease,Acupuncture may be a good treatment option. Our own Dr. Garrood is a certified pet Acupuncturist and sees many pets who are having problems with walking, lameness, and degenerative joint pain. Many of her patients experience great recovery within a few sessions!

So, if you see your pet exhibiting stiffness, lameness, limping, problems getting up, problems jumping or climbing stairs, weight gain issues, inactivity and sleeping more, urinating around the house or other behavioral issues, call your veterinarian promptly. We can evaluate your furry friend and see if their problems are stemming from joint pain or related issues and get them the treatment they need to be happy and healthy again!

I personally am happier when I have my Metacam dose – it helps me a lot and keeps me jumping!

Hello, all you followers of Mason, you! I have a very important topic to talk about today: low-stress handling. The name may sound self-explanatory, but there is a lot of buzz about this “new” way of handling pets.

With animals, we have to rely on rewarding behavior as soon as it happens, and we must remove rewards for bad behavior before the animal is actually rewarded. This is how we (and you) communicate with your pet. And while animals may learn to recognize individual words, they don’t understand human language; however, they do understand our body language. As a result we have to be aware of every action and movement we make because they all communicate something. And we have to realize that whether we’re aware of it or not, every interaction we have with the pet is a training session. Unfamiliar smells, sounds, and sights, and potentially threatening pets and people inundate our patients the moment they enter our office. We perform unpleasant, sometimes painful procedures, often by force due to the unwillingness of the patient. A single such experience can condition a negative emotional response where the animal learns to fear us. This learned fear can result in fidgeting, attempts to flee, and/or aggression at subsequent visits.

So, what are some of the steps we take to handle your pet in a low-stress way? We work to condition a POSITIVE emotional response. This approach can prevent fear from developing, as well as counter-act a fear that has already been established by previous encounters elsewhere. We pair the experience with something that naturally elicits a positive emotional response in the animal – food and love. Food is the easiest and most powerful means of providing this response because we are all programmed with an innate positive response to food. And we use gentle motions, soft voices, hugs, and lots of petting to calm your pet during the exam and treatments. We use small sharp needles that do not hurt as much when we give injections or vaccines. We use pheromone sprays and diffusers in the exam rooms to help alleviate any stress your pet may be feeling. We use appropriate but minimal restraint for procedures and examinations, include towel restraint for cats versus scruffing.

Pets who have already developed a strong negative emotional response to a clinic setting may need a slower, more systematic approach as they may be too stressed to find food appealing at that point. These pets are best helped by setting up a series of “Desensitization” visits. If the care needed is urgent or necessary, then sedation is recommended before beginning any stressful procedures.

With both positive reinforcement as well as coercion, the timing is the same and owners need to be equally consistent. So, if a pet owner does not have the ability to reward consistently and with the right timing, it’s not likely they will be able to perform the punishment technique well either. It is important to continue training your animal when not at the veterinarian’s office so that your pet will learn to be more comfortable with us and in other stressful situations. If you are interested in low-stress handling, consult the works of Dr. Sophia Yin, the leading expert on behavior modification and positive reinforcement training. You are also welcome to call our office and ask about low-stress handling!

Well, cats and kittens, that is all for today. I know I always appreciate being treated gently and with lots of treats, so I’m sure your pet will, too!

Mason, here! Talking to you about a very important topic with regard to felines who live outdoors. We all know the problem with feral cat colonies and cats who live outdoors: a lot of them aren’t spayed/neutered and their population keeps increasing!! Trap-Neuter-Return (called TNR) is a humane and effective approach for cats living outside. Scientific studies show that Trap-Neuter-Return improves the lives of feral cats, improves their relationships with the people who live near them, and decreases the size of colonies over time.

Trap-Neuter-Return is exactly what it sounds like: Cats are humanely trapped and taken to a veterinarian to be neutered and vaccinated, and to have their ears tipped to indicate that they have been neutered and returned to the outdoors. This practice stops the breeding cycle of cats and improves their lives. Since most feral cats are not adoptable, they have been trapped by animal control services and subsequently killed in pounds and shelters due to their wild nature and lack of domesticity. Trap-Neuter-Return helps prevent the need for euthanizing these felines while allowing them to live without adding to the problem of overpopulation.

Our own Dr. Snellgrove and Vet Assistant Elizabeth Board participate in TNR clinics and love talking about their experiences in aiding outdoor felines!

Here, Elizabeth is helping another volunteer to prep cats for surgery. This involves removing hair from the surgical siteand scrubbing it clean.

Here, Dr. Snellgrove (in the red top) and another doctor perform neuter and spay surgeries while technicians monitor the patients and stand by to give additional anesthesia if necessary. The doctors have to work very fast because the felines are anesthetized with injectable medications versus gas anesthesia, to prevent any medical complications.

Don’t worry, this cat is just asleep! Each cat has an ID number and paperwork that accompanies it, so there’s no worry of getting the animals mixed up. You may also see animals laid out on trays in preparation for the surgeries – this helps cut down on time that the cats have to stay asleep so the neuter and spay surgeries can be done quickly and efficiently.

his kitten just had her ear tipped in surgery prep (she’s asleep, too!). The clamp will stay on through her surgery and be removed in recovery. Chances are if you see a cat with a clipped ear, it was once an outside cat who has gone through a TNR program and was adopted!

With Trap-Neuter-Return, veterinarian professionals can stabilize the feline outdoor population humanely, improve the cats’ lives, save taxpayer dollars, address neighbors’ concerns, and help the entire community reach a solution that benefits everyone! If you are interested in helping with Trap-Neuter-Return programs, you can contact Alley Cat Allies or Metro Ferals for more information. Here at Great Falls Animal Hospital, we work with 4Paws Rescue Team directly to care for their cats and spay and neuter them!

I hope that sheds some light on a very interesting and life-saving practice that we believe in wholeheartedly!

Well, kittens, that’s all for now. I’m going to snuggle up here and wait for Christmas!

Mason, here – It has been a while! I was trying to hibernate through the fall and winter, but these pesky humans who work at the hospital won’t let me sleep; they are continually making noise and looking at other cats and dogs (and let me tell you, I’m not very keen on sharing my space). So, since it’s now the New Year and my beauty sleep is on forced hiatus, I figured I would share more of my knowledge with you!

Let’s talk about winter, or more specifically, being shut indoors all winter. It can be very, VERY boring to stay inside all the time with nothing new to do (which is why I was trying to hibernate). But there are ways you can keep you indoor-bound companions in tip-top shape and their minds sharp as a tack. I learned long ago that mental exercise can be satisfying to bored, bounce-off-the-wall pups and cats. Most breeds of dogs were developed to work (like Corgis, Sheepdogs, German Shepherds, and Terriers to name a few), and many dogs today are not expected to fulfill that inherent trait. Giving dogs a job to do is good for them, and they like it! (much unlike cats such as I, who prefer to sleep a lot and keep to themselves).

There are many tricks that you can teach your dog to help them work for their treats, and it also reinforces discipline and good behavior. I know someone who taught their dog to balance a biscuit on his nose, then flip it into the air and catch it on command. Now that’s a heck of a parlor trick! He also knows to bark on request, shake hands and even find his plush toys and put them away. Try starting with a simple game and build on it. If your dog likes to retrieve, begin with simple in-sight fetching and then slowly make things harder. Add a “stay.” Then “hide” the toy in an easy-to-find spot, making the game a little trickier as your pet learns you want him to “find,” instead of merely “fetch.”

Every trick, whether useful or just plain fun, was born on a gloomy winter afternoon. You can also use search games, where you can hide a toy and ask your dog to find it. For even more mental stimulation, see if your dog can find the right object by name – Kong, frog, football, and so on. Such games are to dogs what the daily crossword puzzle or the latest computer game is to us. Dogs have to think, they have to learn, and when they get it right, their sense of accomplishment and joy is palpable and contagious. And as fun as these games are, with plenty of praise for a job done right, they also reinforce a dog’s place in the pack structure we humans call “family.”

If bored and lonely, many animals will develop any number of bad habits. They dig holes in the yard or carpeting, bark or cry endlessly day and night, and become chewers of furniture, shoes, or pillows. And sometimes, without the socialization all pets need, they become aggressive and moody, ready to bite or snarl at anyone who comes into their territory. So it’s important to keep up with your pet’s personal growth and socialization in winter time! Just don’t let them sit around doing nothing. You’ll all enjoy a bitter winter day better if you find your dogs something useful to do!

Now, this isn’t just a matter for the dogs in your life – birds need exercise, too! From the smallest budgie to the largest macaw, parrots are highly intelligent, active birds who need to stay mentally and physically active to stay healthy. Anything a parrot can dig into, from a toy to a challenging food that requires effort to eat, is good. One toy in particular is good for burning the calories consumed by a sedentary bird: the coiled-rope perch. This springy invention requires effort to stay on, and some birds become so enamored of it that they’ll spend hours bouncing up and down. Human interaction is a huge part of animals companions’ well being and growth, so take those birds out and let them stretch their wings, meet your visitors, watch some TV with you, or run little obstacle courses in the open!

Another thing to remember with birds is that many of the birds kept as pets are of species most comfortable in places that we would find intolerable: the steamy, hot rain forests of Central and South America. The dry air of human homes – especially in winter – is thought to be a contributing factor to feather-picking, a frustrating syndrome that can drive birds to pluck themselves bald. Many birds enjoy being dampened by water from a spray bottle or being offered the chance to take a bath in a shallow dish of clean water. How often should birds get a bath? There are no firm guidelines, but daily would be fine with many of our feathery friends.

No stimulation is “technically” necessary, though we do like a fun game of “Catch the Laser Dot” or playing with feathered devices and whatnot to keep ourselves looking svelt.

So, remember, while the winter is woeful with all its bitter cold and nasty weather, you can still enjoy the indoors with your pets and give them something fun to do to keep them healthy and social! After all, your pal Mason here would never steer your wrong…right?

Hello, blogger fans! It has been a long and fun summer and everything is now winding down for the fall. That also means lots of moving, kids going to school and moving for college, and fall changes. So, today, I would like to talk to you about microchipping.

What is microchipping, you may ask? Well, a microchip is a tiny electronic device (about the size of a grain of rice) that uses radio waves to transmit stored information when it is read by the right kind of scanner. Microchips for pets store a unique identification number and do not need a power source, and they have no moving parts, so they do not wear out. Microchips are made of a material that is compatible with body tissues, so rejection and infection at the site are rare. After injection, the microchip becomes encased in the tissue at the injection site (usually around the back and shoulders). It may move slightly, but it usually stays at or near the place it was injected. To read the chip, a compatible scanner must be passed over it. Different microchip companies use different chips; however, there are scanners that can read all kinds of chips.

To complete the microchipping process, you must register your pet’s microchip with the microchip company. Unless the microchip company has your information, there is no way for the identification number on the microchip to link you with your lost pet! This is the number one way to reunite an owner with their pet, and we here at our hospital have many happy stories about reuniting pets and owners due to a microchip and the information attached with the microchip.

So, what happens if your pet becomes lost? When a lost or injured pet is taken to an emergency room, veterinary office, or shelter, he or she can be scanned for the presence of a microchip. If the pet has a chip, the scanner reads the pet’s identification number. If the chip has been properly registered, the shelter or hospital can provide the number to the microchip company, which maintains the owner’s contact information. The microchip company or hospital then contacts the owner, and the pet can be reunited with his or her family!

The use of tattoos as permanent identification for pets has for the most part been made obsolete by microchip technology. A microchip and an ID tag, however, work best together, and I recommend that every pet have both. The most important thing to remember about any form of pet ID is to keep your contact information current! If you move or change your phone number, update your microchip information immediately. Don’t wait, because a move is a high-risk time when your pet is more likely to slip out and go missing. And get a new ID tag as well: Many pet-supply stores have machines that make them while you wait, in five minutes or less! No excuses!

The bottom line, though, is that if your pet is lost, you want to make sure you have done everything you can to make his return home as quick and easy as possible. You don’t want to have to rely on posters plastered around town or hope a harried shelter worker will have the time and resources to figure out where your pet belongs. Tags, microchips and other innovative ways of identifying pets all help to produce happy endings for lost pets and their owners.

To sum up, here’s why you should use a microchip as an identifier for your pet:

Microchips are a way of permanently identifying your pet.

Microchips must be registered with a microchip company to reunite you with your pet.

Microchipping is a simple, quick procedure that can be performed by your veterinarian.

Many lost pets are never returned to their owners because they do not have any form of identification.

To keep your pet safe in the face of the unknown, try a microchip today! Coupled with an ID tag or ID collar, your pet will have the best chance possible to be reunited with you. And I should know – I’m microchipped, too!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately, and I feel we should discuss a topic very close to my heart: Feline Health Care. Did you know that there’s still this misconception that cats don’t need regular health care? That your cats don’t need to be seen but every 3 years when their vaccines come up due, or don’t need to be seen at all except for when there’s a problem? Well, I’m here to say that you feline friends need to be seen by a veterinarian at least once a year, and twice if they have health issues or are older.

I know you’re thinking, “But, Mason, I can’t catch my cat to bring him in!” or “My cat never goes outside and so she doesn’t need to be seen.” Cats are the wildest of our domestic pets and it is their instinct to hide illness until they absolutely can’t. Some cat owners bring their pet to our office in very dire conditions, guilt-ridden that they didn’t realize it needed care. And there’s also the opinion of cat owners to consider – there’s a very “Town Mouse, Country Mouse” view of how cats should be treated, as either outdoor or barn cats, or as house cats who live in relative luxury. Any animal, no matter how big or how small, deserves to be in good health!

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), here are some facts regarding feline health check ups.

More than half of owned cats (52 percent) hadn’t been to the vet within the past year.

Older cats see vets less often than younger cats do.

Meanwhile, 95 percent of veterinarians believe cats should receive annual checkups, and 72 percent believe that wellness exams are the most important service we provide.

And get this: Only about half as many cats get annual checkups as dogs.

So what’s up with that?

A Number of Contributing Factors

1. The economic impact of the recession. The study was conducted during the height of the economic downturn.2. Fragmentation of veterinary services. Lots of choices in veterinarians and specialists can be confusing and can actually interrupt access to vet services.3. The use of the Internet versus office visits. Lots of cat owners seek help in inexpensive places first.4. Feline resistance. Cats don’t like going to the vet.5. Perception that regular medical checkups are unnecessary. Veterinarians aren’t always very good at communicating the importance of regular vet visits.All of that makes sense! But that still doesn’t explain why cats receive less care than dogs do. After all, all of these causes could be applied to the case of dogs, too. Which is why I think this issue is less to do with economics and more about why cats garner less attention than their canine counterparts.

So, why should you bring your cat in for check ups regularly? Even if your cat seems healthy on the outside, an underlying problem may be lurking on the inside. Fecal exams, blood and urine tests, and other tests that screen for infectious diseases, such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV), may be required, based on your cat’s age and lifestyle.

Even if your cat spends most or all of its time indoors, it may still be at risk for certain preventable viral diseases. Your veterinarian will assess your cat’s risk and develop a vaccine protocol tailored specifically to its needs.

Cats are prime targets for parasites such as fleas and ticks, not to mention the ones we can’t see like heartworms (which are spread by mosquitoes) and intestinal parasites. Your veterinarian will discuss the best options to keep your cat free and clear of these dangerous pests.

Dental disease isn’t just for dogs—cats are susceptible, too. Your veterinarian will examine your cat’s mouth and determine if further action, like a full oral health assessment and treatment under anesthesia, is needed to keep your cat’s teeth and gums in good shape.

Just as your cat needs to be physically healthy, it needs to be emotionally healthy, too. Your veterinarian will ask questions about your cat’s environment—whether there are other pets or children in the house and how your cat interacts with them, what kind of playful activities your cat participates in, and so on—and inquire about any behavioral issues that need attention.

So, I highly recommend that cat owners everywhere try their best to bring their cats in to a veterinarian at least once or twice a year! Our health is just as important as dogs’ health, plus we tend to keep it a secret from you – being proactive and taking felines in regularly will help eliminate emergencies and surprises!

It has been quite a long winter and we are so glad it is finally, finally over…finally…we hope.

And with the Spring comes many things that you should think about for the safety of your pets and wildlife around you!

With Easter upon us, no doubt there have been lilies and daffodils and other springtime flowers adorning your home and yard. But did you know that some lilies are poisonous to cats and even dogs?

There are benign and dangerous lilies out there, and it’s important to know the difference! Benign (or non-toxic) lilies include the Peace, Peruvian, and Calla lilies, which contain insoluble oxalate crystals that cause minor signs such as tissue irritation to the mouth, tongue, pharynx, and esophagus. Clinical signs of drooling, pawing at the mouth, foaming, and vomiting may be seen.

The more dangerous, potentially fatal lilies are true lilies of the Lilium or Hemerocallisspecies. Examples of some of these dangerous lilies include the Tiger, Day, Asiatic hybrid, Easter, Japanese Show, Rubrum, Stargazer, Red, Western, and Wood lilies – all of which are highly toxic to cats! Even small ingestions (such as 2-3 petals or leaves) – even the pollen or water from the vase – can result in severe, acute kidney failure. Lily of the Valley is also included and though it does not cause kidney failure, it can cause life-threatening heart arrhythmias and death when ingested by dogs or cats.

If your cat is seen consuming any part of a lily, bring your cat (and the plant) immediately to a veterinarian for medical care. The sooner you bring in your cat, the better and more efficiently the lily poisoning can be treated. Decontamination (like inducing vomiting and giving binders like activated charcoal) are imperative in the early toxic stage, while aggressive intravenous fluid therapy, kidney function monitoring tests, and supportive care can greatly improve the prognosis. Intravenous fluids must be started within an 18 hour window for the best outcome.

Common signs to watch for if your cat has eaten lilies:

Inappetance

Lethargy

Hiding

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Halitosis

Dehydration

Inappropriate urination or thirst

Seizures

Death

As springtime begins so too does “kitten season,” and Alley Cat Allies, the nation’s largest advocacy organization dedicated to cats, offers ways people can help cats and kittens this season.

“If you come across a kitten outdoors, you may be tempted to bring her home with you, but that may not be the best thing for the kitten,” said Becky Robinson, president and founder of Alley Cat Allies. “Deciding whether to take a kitten home with you or leave her where she is should be carefully considered based on the individual kitten’s situation and age.”

Alley Cat Allies offers the following tips to help kittens this season:

Leave kittens with mom. Like all babies, kittens are best left with their mothers who instinctively know how to help their kittens grow up to be strong and healthy cats. Neonatal kittens, 4 weeks old or younger, need constant care and still depend on mom for 100 percent of their food. Kittens 5 to 8 weeks old can begin to eat wet food, but are still being weaned. If you know the mother is present, it is best to leave kittens with her. To determine whether the mother is caring for the kittens, wait and observe for two to four hours to see if the mother returns. The mother could just be out looking for food. If she doesn’t return within a day, the kitten could be abandoned. A young kitten living outdoors who does not have a mother present should be taken in and fostered. If the kitten is not weaned, she will require bottle-feeding and round-the-clock care.

Do not bring a just born kitten to an animal shelter. Most shelter employees are not equipped or trained to provide round-the-clock care for neonatal kittens (up to 4 weeks of age). If a kitten cannot eat on her own, she will likely be killed at a shelter. Realistically, it is never a good idea to take a cat to a shelter. More than 70 percent of cats who enter shelters are euthanized there, and that number rises to virtually 100 percent for feral cats taken to shelters.

And while we are talking about abducting or displacing cute baby animals, let’s also talk about bunnies, squirrels, and birds. The # 1 rule about wildlife is: DON’T TOUCH IT. Unless the animal is obviously injured, emaciated, or you know the mother has not been by to take care of the babies, do not pick them up and bring them into your home as a pet. Wild animals are not meant to be pets!

Once you’ve contacted someone who can help, describe the animal and his physical condition as accurately as possible. Unless you are told otherwise, here’s how you can make an animal more comfortable for transport or while you’re waiting for help to arrive:

Never handle an adult animal without first consulting with a wildlife professional. Even small animals can injure you.

Put the animal in a safe container. For most songbirds, a paper bag may be used for transport. For larger birds or other animals, use a cardboard box or similar container. First, punch holes for air, from the inside out, and line the box with an old T-shirt or other soft cloth.

Put on thick gloves and use a towel or pillowcase to cover the animal as you scoop him up gently and place him in the container.

Do not give the animal food or water: it may cause him to choke, develop digestive problems, or drown. Also, many injured animals are in shock, and eating or drinking can make it worse.

Place the container in a warm, dark, quiet place—away from pets, children, and noise—until you can transport the animal. Be sure to keep the container away from direct sunlight, air conditioning, or heat.

Transport the animal as soon as possible.

While transporting the animal, leave the radio off and keep talking to a minimum.

With all that said, I think I’m going to find a nice spot of sun before the winter comes back…again…with snow…(grumble, grumble).